Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today returned without signature and vetoed H.489, An act relating to fiscal year 2025 budget adjustments. The Senate passed the bill Thursday in a 17-13 vote. The House (100 votes) and Senate (20 votes) would each need a two-thirds majority to override the veto, which seems unlikely given the results of the votes on this bill and the previous BAA bill.
The revised Budget Adjustment Act bill retained language to extend the Hotel/Motel program for the homeless through June, with no new allocation but with funding already available in the current (FY25) budget. The Hotel/Motel program was scheduled to end on April 1. Scott had vetoed the first iteration of the $163 million BAA (H.141). The governor then signed an executive order extending the Hotel/Motel program for families with children and medically vulnerable individuals who were scheduled to exit the General Assistance program on April 1.
Today, Scott sent the following letter to the General Assembly:
Dear Ms. Wrask:
Pursuant to Chapter II, Section 11 of the Vermont Constitution, I’m returning H.489, An act relating to fiscal year 2025 budget adjustments, without my signature.
It’s clear, we’re at an impasse on a non-budget adjustment-related policy, which has once again, been included in the latest budget adjustment bill. However, nothing prevents us from moving forward with a traditional bill, where we agree on the majority of the mid-year financial true ups.
I’m hopeful, the Legislature will stop sending me bills they know I will veto and instead send me a clean budget adjustment bill without controversial policy, so we can move forward with the many challenges we face.
Sincerely,
/s/
Philip B. Scott
Governor
109 State Street | The Pavilion | Montpelier, VT 05609-0101 | www.vermont.gov
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